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Brand new and modern is cool, but old school and historic has its perks, too.
A tavern in Newport, Rhode Island has been in operation since 1673, making it the oldest restaurant in the country.
Walking through the front door is like taking a step back in time at The White Horse Tavern.
Before you even enter the building, the White Horse Tavern on Marlborough Street has some serious curb appeal. The building is quintessential colonial Newport and a beautiful illustration of 17th-century architecture.
According to the restaurant, White Horse Tavern is the oldest operating restaurant in the country and the 10th oldest in the world. It is a National Historic Landmark that has been serving guests since 1673.
Originally constructed as a two-story, two-room residence in 1652, William Mayes, Sr. converted the home into a tavern in 1673.
“For almost 100 years, this large and comfortable tavern was the meeting place of the Colony’s General Assembly, Criminal Court, and City Council,” said the restaurant.
The property was acquired by the Preservation Society of Newport County in 1954 and was beautifully restored, saving the historic tavern from demolition. By 1972, it was recognized as a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
READ MORE: Introducing New Bedford’s New Basement Bar
The restaurant may be over 350 years old, but the experience is far from outdated. Expect a contemporary, culinary experience thanks to Executive Chef Kevin DeMarco as you enjoy your meal in a charming, colonial setting.
The tavern prides itself on serving fish, clams, and lobsters straight from Narragansett Bay, and high-quality ingredients from local farms.
“We’re proud to embrace Rhode Island’s vibrant food scene, which made the White Horse Tavern a New England destination,” said the tavern.
From 908 to the Regal Beagle on Acushnet Ave, these are the bars that are no longer with us but never forgotten.
Gallery Credit: Gazelle
Known as “Woodbine Cottage,” this historic property recently hit the market for $4.5 million. For most of us, it’s out of our budget, but that doesn’t stop us from wanting to take a look inside. Keep scrolling for a virtual tour of this stunning property.
Gallery Credit: Maddie Levine
“The Gilded Age” film crews have returned to Newport, Rhode Island, for several weeks of filming for the upcoming second season of HBO’s hit show. Casting calls from March gave away the International Tennis Hall of Fame as a site for several scenes and, of course, several of the historic city’s epic mansions are being used as well. Here are all the places filming is expected to take place around town this May.
Gallery Credit: Nancy Hall
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) — Two people are dead and another person seriously hurt after a crash involving two vehicles on the highway in Warwick Saturday.
Rhode Island State Police said the crash happened around 1:34 p.m. on the ramp from Route 113 West to I-95 South.
According to police, a Hyundai SUV that was driving in the middle lane of the highway started to drift to the right, crossed the first lane, and then crossed onto the on-ramp lane. The car struck the guardrail twice before driving through the grass median.
The Hyundai then struck the driver’s side of a Mercedes SUV that was on the ramp, causing the Mercedes to roll over and come to a rest. The impact sent the Hyundai over the guardrail and down an embankment.
The driver of the Hyundai, a 73-year-old man, and his passenger, a 69-year-old woman, were both pronounced dead at the hospital.
A woman who was in the Mercedes was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition.
State police said all lanes of traffic were reopened by 4:30 p.m.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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A federal judge on Friday tossed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit aiming to force Rhode Island to hand over its voter information as part of the Trump administration’s push to acquire voter data from several states.
Rhode Island U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy wrote that federal law does not allow the DOJ “to conduct the kind of fishing expedition it seeks here,” siding with Rhode Island election officials. She added that the DOJ did not provide evidence to suggest that Rhode Island violated election law.
McElroy, a Trump appointee, wrote that she sided with the similar decision in Oregon. That decision ruled that the DOJ was not entitled to unredacted voter registration lists.
“Absent from the demand are any factual allegations suggesting that Rhode Island may be violating the list maintenance requirements,” she said in her ruling.
Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore (D) praised McElroy’s decision. He said in a statement that the Trump administration “seems to have no problem taking actions that are clear Constitutional overreaches, regularly meddling in responsibilities that are the rights of the states.”
“Today’s decision affirms our position: the United States Department of Justice has no legal right to – or need for – the personally-identifiable information in our voter file,” he said. “Voter list maintenance is a responsibility entrusted to the states, and I remain confident in the steps we take here in Rhode Island to keep our list as accurate as possible.”
The Hill reached out to the DOJ for comment.
The DOJ called for the voter lists as it investigated Rhode Island’s compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which allowed Americans to register to vote when they apply for a driver’s license.
The DOJ sued at least 30 states, as well as Washington, D.C., in December demanding their respective voter data. This data includes birth dates, names and partial Social Security numbers.
At least 12 states have given or said they will give the DOJ their voter registration lists, according to a tracker operated by the Brennan Center for Justice.
The department stated after it lost a similar suit against Massachusetts earlier this month that it had “sweeping powers” to access the voter data and that, if states fail to comply, courts have a “limited, albeit vital, role” in directing election officers on behalf of the administration to produce the records. The DOJ cited the Civil Rights Act as being intended to unearth alleged election law violations.
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